Controlling mechanism



Jan. 18, 1927 G, A BOUVIER CONTROLLING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept- 4. 1924 Jan. 18 1927.

G. A. BOUVIERA CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 4. 1924 2 sheets-snee'.

Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

yUNIryanf 'STATE-s :PATENT orifice.

- GEORGE ALFRED BOUVIER, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGNOR TO 'WESTERN ELEC- TRIO GOMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

vApplication {iled September 4, 1924. Serial No. 735,811.

Thisinventi on relates to controlling mechanisms, and VImore particularly to a mechanism for .controlling the relative movements of .parts of strand working mechanisms.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved ymechanism for maintaining a predetermined relationship between movably `mounted members of a strand working mechanism.

In one embodiment of the invention, the arcuate portions of a plurality of rotatable, semi-circular blades cooperate to alternately engage and disengage a movably mounted member, and present the flat sides of the .blades 'to the path of a moving member so as to. .permit the moving member to `pass between the semi-circular blades land `the movably mounted ,member while maintain- `ing the movably mountedmember in a stationary position.

The invention is particularlyadapted :for use with strand working mechanisms, such as :the strand twistingl apparatus described in Patent No. 1,263,405 to H. H. C. Grondahl, dated April 23, .1918, an embodiment ofthe invention as applied to the above mentioned'apparatus being yfully disclosed in the .following description together with the accompanying` drawings, in whichiFig. 1 isa front elevation showing the inventionadapted to the twisting machine disclosed :in the patent referred to Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 lookingin thev direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line v3--3 ,also of Fig. 1.

` Referring more particularly to the drawingsin which like numerals vare employed to designate similar members throughout theA several views, the frame of the twisting machine comprises a base member `11, uprights 12 and 13 and an upper cross rail 14. A

suitable source of power is provided, such as an electric motor 15, which is mounted on the upper cross rail 14, the shaft of said motor being engaged with a suitable train of gears (not shown) enclosed within a housing 16 which gears drive a stud shaft 17, thereby operating a gear member 18 which is suitably mounted on the stud lsha-ft 17. The gear 18 is intermeshed with and drives a pinion 21, said pinion'l 21 being integral with a shaft 22 which is driven with the pinion 21. The shaft 22 engages and drives a flier which comprises an upper yoke bracket 25, a plurality of yoke arms 27 and 28 and a lower bracket 29. Revolvably mounted within the flier is a strand supply reelsupport member 30 adapted tosupport i. a plurality of strand'supply reels 31, 32, 33, and 34, the `strands therefrom being adapted `to be led overa plurality of guide pulleys 61, 62,63, 64, 65, 66, 67, and 68. A capstan 69, securedto the upper ,cross rail 14 in any suitable manner and-driven'by suitable gearing `(not shown) also in the housing 16 is 'adapted to draw a plurality of strands 7() from the supply reels 31, 32, 33, and 34 over the ,plurality of lguide pulleys referred to.

After passing over the -capstan 'the composite strand 70 is led toa suitabletake-up reel (not shown).

In order to operate the mechanism in the fmanner described inthe patent referred to in a preceding paragraph, it isdesirable that i means be ,provided for holding the strand supply Vreel support member y30 -in a fixedk I.position in relationship to the flier. This maybe accomplished by the use of an improved apparatus which is `the subject matter of the present invention and which fwill now be -more fully explained in relationship to thestrand rtwisting apparatus described above;l A plurality of semi-circular blades 41 and V42 are rotatably mounted on shafts 43 and 44 which are slidably journaled in brackets [45 and 46 pendantly -mounted on the `cross rail 14. Integral with 'the shafts 43 and 44 are bevel gears '50 and 51 which engage another pair of bevel gears 52f and 53 secured to the lower extremities of vertical shafts 54 anc 55. A pair of gears 56 and 57 is secured the shafts 54 and 55, an idler gear 58 being provided Vto rotate the gears 56 and 57 by engaging :the gear 21 which lis connected with thesourcey of power'by suitablegearing described above.

A ASlotted bracket 60 is securedto the tothe upper extremity of` strand supply reel support member and is positioned in relationship to the semi-circular blades 4l and 42 so that rotation of these blades causes an insertion of the arcuate portions thereof into the slotted portions of the bracket 60. The seinicircular blades are positioned on their respective shafts in such a manner that the arcuate portion of one blade engages the slotted bracket just before the arcuate portion of the other blade is disengaged therefrom. In this manner the engagement and disengagement of the slotted member takes place so that the support member 30, to which the slotted bracket 60 is secured, is at all times held against rotation by at least one blade. The fiat portion of each blade is also parallel to a tangent on each of the yoke arms 27 and 28 as they successively pass the planes in which the blades rotate.

The train of gears from the electric motor shown to the bevel gears 50 and 5l which immediately drive the semi-circular blades is such that each one of the blades makes a complete revolution for each half revolution of the iiier. The seini-circular blades 4l and 42 being positioned ninety degrees apart in respect to the path of rotation of the flier are adapted to alternately engage and disengage the bracket 60, the reel supporting bracketBO being at all times positively engaged by one el the pair of revolving .semicircular blades, as shown clearly in F ig. 2, and the flier at the same time being free to rotate without interference from the revolving semi-circular blades.

What is claimed is:

1. In a strand working mechanism, a plurality of members, means for moving one of said members for manipulating a stra-nd, and a plurality of rotatable elements adapted to sequentially engage and disengage another one of said members to maintain a predetermined relationship between the last mentioned member and a third one of said members.

2. In a strand working mechanism, a plurality of movable members,means for moving one of said members to manipulate a strand, a plurality of rotatable members, each having a portion for engaging one of the movable members, and means for constantly maintaining at least one of the portions in engagement with said one member, thereby maintaining said one member in a predetermined relationship to said rotatable members.

3. In a strand uf'orking mechanism, a plurality of .movable members, means for moving one of said members for manipulating a strand, means including a plurality of rotatable members cooperating with another one of said movable members for blocking and unblocking the path of' the moving member to permit free movement of the moving member and maintain a predetermined relationship between the second men-- tioned means and another of said movable members.

4. In a strand working mechanism, a plurality of members for manipulating a strand, and a plurality of rotatable elements secured to one of said members and designed to sequentially engage and disengage another of said members, to Amaintain a predetermined relationship between the member to which the rotatable elements are secured and the member which they are designed to sequentially engage and disengage.

5. In a strand working mechanism, comprising a plurality of Yrevolvably mounted members having coincident axes, means for holding stationary one of said revolvably mounted members while another of said revolvably mounted members revolves to manipulate a strand, which means comprises a plurality ot rotatable elements adapted to intermittently engage and disengage one of said revolvably mounted members so as to hold the engaged member stationary and permit the revolving member t0 pass between the stationary member and a rotatable element.

6. The combination with a strand working mechanism, comprising a revolving member for causing anarcuate movement of a strand, and a movable member, for supporting` a supply of strands, of a plurality of rotatable members adapted to intermittently engage and disengage said movably mounted member to hold that member in a predetermined position, and simultaneously allow said revolving member to pass between said movably mounted member and the said rotatable members.

7. The combination with a strand working mechanism, comprising a revolving member for causing an arcuate movement of a strand and a movably mounted member for supporting a supply of strands, of a plurality of rotatable semi-circular discs adapted tol intermittently engage and disengage said movably mounted member to hold said member in a predetermined position, and to simultaneously allow said rotating member to pass between said movably mounted member and said rotatable semi-circular discs.

8. The combination with a strand working mechanism, comprising a revolving member for causing an arcuate movement of a strand and a movably mounted member, for supporting a supply of strands, of a plu-h rality ot engaging members adapted to intermittently engage and disengage said movably mounted member to hold said movably mounted member stationary, and simultaneously allow said rotating member to pass between said movably mounted member and said engaging members.

9. The combination with a strand twisting mechanism, comprising a rotating yoke for twisting the strand and a strand supply said engaging members and said strand supreel support member, of a plurality of enply reel support member.

y guging members adapted to intermittently In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe l0 enga-ge und disengage the strand supply reel my name this 23rdv clay of August, A. D. support member to hold said strand supply 1924. reel support member stationary While permitting said rotating yoke to pass between GEORGE ALFRED BOUVIER. 

